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Escatawpa residents raise their hands to show opposition to a zone change request on land along Miss. 63 in their area during a July 21, 2014, Jackson County Board of Supervisors meeting. (April Havens/ahavens@al.com)

PASCAGOULA, Mississippi -- A group of Escatawpa residents went before the Jackson County Board of Supervisors this morning to oppose a proposed zone change they fear might lead to a landfill expansion or an undesirable industrial business in their area.

The about 20-acre property owned by Ray and Smith is currently zoned for three different uses. Small portions are zoned C2 community commercial and R1 single-family residential, but the bulk of the property is zoned A1 general agricultural.

The property includes parcels mostly on the west side of Miss. 63, but it also includes another small 2.5-acre tract of land just north of the landfill on the east side of the highway.

There are other I2 properties near the land, and the I3-zoned Plant Daniel is just north of the property.

Corlew said three planning commissioners previously admitted that the character of the area has changed, so he spent little time defending that point.

"That area is moving more and more industrial," he said. "It's developing into service industries for the refinery, Plant Daniel, Ingalls."

Corlew said his clients are also tasked with proving there's a public need for the facility. He argued that the industrial infrastructure is present in the corridor already, and he argued for added tax benefits and increased employment.

"This is the type of industry that will end up there at one time anyway," he told supervisors.

Residents argued there is no public need because plenty of vacant industrial land still exists around the county, and they said their 45-house neighborhood fears what could be put outside their doorsteps.

Supervisors heard all of the comments and told residents they would consider all the facts, drive the neighborhood themselves and render a decision at the Aug. 4 board meeting.